Without hunters we all starve! Please comment

Have also thought about older boy/girls scout troops, plus We have a lot of locals bring small groups of kids out to help bottle feed. Who else ? ..................just trying to get the youngsters interested but bet thiers others just gotta keep sortin thru the smoke from my pee brain! lol

Thanks DEERCHASER!

I really believe if every farm would have a group like that out every year the number of hunters would not be declining. Kids no longer have a good place to hunt and most do not know we exist in their neighborhood. I bet if most preserves did a poll they would find that less than 5% of the hunters in their area know they are their with the exception of the nationally known preserves. I know from my personal experience that until I decided to get into deer farming I would drive to Texas to hunt a preserve because I did not know one existed in Alabama. Hell there must be 50.

same here didn't have a clue how many preserves here in Missouri either till i got involved in the deer business. Bet we are not the only ones that don't know!

ddwhitetails said:

Mid west deer sales is without a doubt right about the Board and the Plan (which comes after we get everyones input and ideas)..........I agree we can't just run with the first idea that sounds good......I also agree that we cannot afford to WALK to slow through this process....unfortunately TIME is not on our side.....we need to get things rolling and a board is definelty the next step......now, this Board needs to be a good mix....NOT just the biggest players in the industry but a mix of big and small as well as our Amish friends.

Mid west we would be foolish to take from the Nadefa Conference and I think everyone would agree that would be like stabbing ourselves in our own foot......the fact of the matter is this......I will be as honest here and kind of to the point as well......IF YOU LOVE THIS INDUSTRY AND YOU LOVE RAISING DEER AND RUNNING YOUR HUNTING PRESERVE YOU NEED TO BE PREPARED TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE!!! AND THERES NO ROOM FOR POLITICS....let's leave that crap in Washington. I am fairly new to the Industry.....been involved for a few years now.......I have invested in my farm and deer Lets just say it's a very nice chunck of money in the six figures...I have joined Nadefa......I have donated to auctions....I to date have not sold a single animal or item or semen to see that return on my investment yet....now this being said, I knew getting into the deer farming the return was 3 to 5 years out and I know it's coming or atleast I hope so if we do things right otherwise I'll be eating a lot of very expensive venison......anyhow, the point I am trying to make here is I have not made a dime from this Industry (and that is no fault of anyone...just stating a fact to make a point) and i am willing to.....DONATE MORE OF MY TIME....... MORE FINANCIALLY.... MORE ANIMALS OR ANYTHING THAT WILL HELP GET THIS CAMPAIGN MOVING!! I am not telling everyone all of this because I want you to feel sorry for me...IT'S CALLED STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE IN ANY CAPACITY THAT YOU CAN....... SOME CAN AND SHOULD SUPPORT MORE THAN OTHERS....WHY?.......BECAUSE YOU CAN......OTHERS NEED TO GIVE WHAT YOU CAN AFFORD..........we need to continue to support who we currently do and NEED to STEP UP and be prepared to DIG A LITTLE DEEPER and GIVE MORE to our Industry to see it grow......this IS the only way it will get done .....no matter WHAT IDEA we decide to use it will have to involve GIVING MORE! On this note.......if you are in this industry for the long haul and you don't belong to Nadefa.....YOU NEED TO NOW......As far as I'm concerned There is no GOOD EXCUSE as to why you wouldn't be a member! They are this industries BACKBONE and are what holds evrything together!!!And their fees are MORE than affordable and FAIR for what ou get back in return!

Another thing I had mentioned before and was a little disturbed that only one coment came back agreeing with it....... WE NEED TO PRAY........God is our greatest TOOL we have to help us move forward........don't ignore Him ......or he will ignore US!!

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My friend and brother I could not agree with you more. I do encourage you and others just like you who have just starting to raise deer in the last few years. I see a bright future in the deer and high fenced hunting industry. We will work threw this problem or battle. Know that problems or battles are the same. They will either destroy you or make you stronger. I have been telling people of this problem for two years and just in the last two weeks have people taken me Russ Walk Jr. seriously. I have faith in this industry, the people of this industry and our God who has blessed this industry and us with the freedom to advance this far.



PS: I was the one who commented and agreed, we do need to PRAY

Thats my point very few know about us and I love the FFA Group. Can you imagine how many people those kids will tell. When you impress a kid he will talk!

Ha guys, the FFA, boy scouts, girl scouts, cub scouts, are all great ideas and not to be taken lightly. How ever until they are old enough to afford a hunt a lot of deer raisers will be only a memory.

We need a three tier plan, short, medium and long term. Targeting adults who think of us as canned hunts would be step one, Long term or step three would be the youth or future hunters. We need to focus on a short term plan and expand it into phase two and three.

Point being made, we need results now. Very few people are buying bucks this year and next year there will be 25 to 30 % more bucks on the market added to the ones that were not sold this year.

I know one hunting Ranch owner who made a commitment today to lower the prices of his hunts from $500 to $4000 per deer so he could sell more deer so he could purchase more deer from deer farmers who can not sell their deer.

I ask him why he would lower his prices and he said. There is nothing sadder that for a deer farmer to raise a product and not have a market for it. I may not be able to pay them what they think their bucks are worth but with Gods help I will sell hunts and their bucks.

I know this man and he will.



100% of the deer that do not die in pens are shot!

Whitetail Sanctuary said:

good points wisdom but in the long run its not up to the auction companies or the hunting ranches or the big deerfarmer or the small the haves or the have nots its about EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THIS INDUSTRY TO TAKE A STAND AND MAKE A DIFFRENCE! ALL OUR FUTURES ARE DEPENDING ON IT! just my thoughts keep the ideas rollin!

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Good point and I agree with you. All to often I am a problem solver and jump from A to D skipping b and c

every one is in PA.

surely not from what everyone there said it was a small crowd!!!!!!!!!!!!

rockingh said:

i have read this thread from front to back lots of great ideas have been passed around and it just seems to of stopped after just a few short days so what has happened ?

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hello!!!!!!!!!!! Anybody still thinking out there ????????? Lots of lookers got to be some more ideas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The PA Sale had something to do with it.......from what I heard as I was unable to attend the prices were very weak........this is why we need to continue on this path....this is something we cannot let go of or we will regret it for the rest of our lives.

The hunting market is there and the hunters are out there - we just have to get them to our preserves and ranches. The public hunt in most states is pretty poor with most deer taken only 1-1/2 years old. We offer a superior product - we just need to inform our potential customers.

Wild Rivers Whitetails said:

The hunting market is there and the hunters are out there - we just have to get them to our preserves and ranches. The public hunt in most states is pretty poor with most deer taken only 1-1/2 years old. We offer a superior product - we just need to inform our potential customers.

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I agree.

I am sorry and don't mean to make anyone mad, but the meat market is not an option. First off we don't spend the money we spend and put the effort we do into the genetics just to eat them. Secondly a whitetail is not an effective way of producing venison. Elk or Red deer would be for the meat market.

Good point Roger............We all know what we need to do......we just need to stay focused and keep things going in the right direction.....I would be interested in hearing if there was any talk about this at the PA Sale........I''m sure we will hear form Russ Jr. soon. We can educate the public about High fence Hunting.........we need to weed out all of the People who do not care about the Whitetails and or are market by running illegal operations (and if there not they need to be) All preserves should need to follow certian guide lines in order to be considered a qualified High Fence Hunt under our Indusrty.......then we push the New and exciting way to enjoy hunting.......hassle free.....great lodging and service......a great outdoor experience....if we market it right and people realize it is a cool and exciting way to hunt they won't be so against it and will begin to change the way the feel about it........It will be an uphill battle but a battle that can be won!! Lets stay on course and keep those ideas coming!!

I had a chance to talk with some industry leaders at the PA Sale and am very encouraged with their opinions on this ever so important topic.



Some key ideas that I feel we should consider would be to start with several full page or two page adds in the next up and coming sales catalogs to outline the goals of this campaign. The Chupp Auction company will donate these ads and I'm hoping the other auction companies will also donate the ad space as well. Jerry and Eric have been very generous in the past and I'm confident they will join with this donation. I was hoping to talk with Kevin Grace at the PA Sale but he was unable to make the sale so I'll call him next week. We need to share our ideas, goals, and our plan with other deer farmers in order to unit our people together. This advertising campaign must start with us, bringing the majority of us together around a common sense plan to fix this problem we have with our projected future. After we farmers unit with a sound plan and a plan to raise the necessary funds needed to begin, we start with a soft entry campaign.



The enemy "PEDA/Anti Hunting Movement" will try to divide and concure us hunters with hunters against hunters strategy. Together we stand and divided we fall. Our efforts to promote Game Ranch Hunting will be a positive and attractive message about what we offer at high fence ranches with an under tone that we are also hunters that wish to see the future of hunting be strong however you choose to hunt. We need the hunter on our side or at least not against us.



To deliver this message it would be 10X more affective if delivered by a famous type person with face recognition. Example person may be a professional athlete, professional race car driver, professional fighter, professional golfer, ect. Some of our budget should be set aside for purchasing hunts from participating preserves to offer this opportunity to these famous people. In exchange for a free hunt for the celebrity we could video that hunt and ask for some feed back to advertise to our advantage. Our product is superior we just need hunters to know about it.



What preserves would offer a hunt at 50% of normal hunt price???? Quest Haven Lodge would be the first to step to the plate with this donation but we need more participating preserves. Who has contacts with famous people that would participate with us? Not a bad deal for them a free hunt videoed and put on TV in exchange for well ... just letting people know how fun it was.



I'm also considering a booth at a couple of the next sales to educate the deer producers to what this movement is about. I will need help. Some information that would need to be given to the producer would be as follows:



1. We must identify and admit we have a problem that does need to be addressed.

2. We create a board of volunteers to oversee the project.

3. We develop a plan to fix the problem with short, mid, and long term goals

4. We raise funds to finance our campaign and develop a plan for long term financial cash flow

5. We execute that plan swiftly and aggressively with any legal and honest effort possible



Thanks to all I talk with at the sale for the support and generosity.

Russ,



We would be more than happy to offer a discounted/donated hunt and help in any way we can. You are right on target on everything you have been saying. With these hard times come new opportunities. We have the ability to offer hunts to people who could never afford them in the past. If we can get people from all walks of life to try a hunt, I think we can show what a superior hunt high fence can be.



Call me when you get time.

As I said before- I'm all in!!!

Don't think it has to be just preserve guys who can help here....

Right on Sam...With ya brother!

DDwhitetails I have to disagree with your following statement



"we need to weed out all of the People who do not care about the Whitetails and or are market by running illegal operations (and if there not they need to be) All preserves should need to follow certian guide lines in order to be considered a qualified High Fence Hunt under our Indusrty"

Weed out?? I am all for following the laws, but making a set of guidelines to determine what qualifies for a hunting preserve in your opinion and what doesn't, stinks to high heaven of monopolizing. Lets say you pass your guidelines and eliminate 3/4 the unworthy preserves in the states. They are all 1200 acres+ and 5 star accomendations! Do you really think that is going to help the market?? That is going to back log shooter bucks like you would not believe. Even if you happen to be a lucky one that has an "IN" with one of these preserves do you think this "better image" is going to help the industry?? Fewer preserves mean fewer hunts..fewer hunts mean fewer people hunting on preserves..guess what you are right back to the place you are now..a declining hunting population.

Yes, I definately believe the best preserves should lead the way..have the spotlight and draw the public scrutiny, but the lower end preserves should have a chance as well. The public will sort out the good ones from the bad and eliminate the worse ones through sales. And more preserves mean more people exposed to them.

I imagine you think you can control bad press by getting rid of the bad examples of the industry, but if the press wants to find something bad on you they will! We all know every hunt doesn't go as planned, there are bad shots made every year. The film from just one of those, edited cruelly could set public opinion against us no matter how many acres or how good the lodging is. The only way to get on the good side of the public is to expose the majority to high fenced hunts and to do that you need more hunting preserves not less.

More regulations, guidelines and laws is what got this country into the mess it is in now. It's not going to help our industry either!

I may be just a stupid girl but...I feel running in circles yelling the sky is falling is hurting us more then helping. I have three potential customers...Reading this ...I do not feel like the sky is falling.I would not sell them deer if I thought it was...I could not do that! (Hi guys)



I think we need to sell more bucks(as shooters)...but I FEEL that is a reachable goal...



If I can't sell deer to new people, I can't buy deer from others ...There were deer that I wanted...but bit my tongue over... because I didn't sell any fawns or doe...This year...



I didn't... *NOT BUY THEM*( 'cause the sky is falling)...

If you get what I am saying...

I Feel we are cutting our own throat...

QUIT TALKING ONLINE...

LETS GET TOGETHER AND DO SOMETHING



IF IT WERE A PARTY PEOPLE WOULD BE THERE!

I will do whatever...But WALK the WALK